38: The Madman Hunters' interrogation

As night fell, a team sped into Flower City.

The team consisted of more than fifty people, led by a pale-faced middle-aged fat man. He wore a gray combat uniform and was expressionless, with a powerful Aura faintly emanating from him. He rode a black and red tiger, and wherever he passed, the plants withered and the insects and rats shriveled.

In Flower City, anyone who saw this team stayed far away, lowering their heads in evident fear.

The team sped all the way and came to a halt outside a building with a plaque that read 'Madman'.

This was the Madman Hunter Group's team. The pale middle-aged fat man at the front was the leader of the Madman Hunter Group, Li Yongchang, and also Li Zhi's father.

The father and son looked almost nothing alike in terms of appearance or physique, but they were indeed biological father and son, leading many to remark on the mother's excellent genes behind their backs.

However, some predisposed people believed Li Yongchang was wearing a green hat and raising someone else's child. Of course, those who joked or teased them about it never ended up well.

"Group Leader, you're finally here!"

At this time, the Madman Hunter Group was already in a state of complete chaos.

As soon as Li Yongchang entered, his subordinates who had received the news ran over. Leading them was a woman in a black professional suit skirt with delicate features. She walked with small steps but moved faster than any man. As soon as she finished speaking and before she could even smile, Li Yongchang grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up.

"What exactly happened? Why did my son suddenly disappear for no reason!"

The woman grabbed Li Yongchang's hand, struggling hard, her face turning red from the lack of air. The others were as quiet as cicadas in winter, not daring to plead for mercy. After a long while, Li Yongchang finally let go.

"Cough... the Young Group Leader and Group... Group Leader Xie's son cough... had a conflict, cough... they had a duel but he lost. In a moment of confusion after drinking, he broke into Group Leader Xie's home at night, was defeated and fled. Since then, no matter how we look, we can't find the Young Group Leader."

The woman fell to the ground, gasping for air, but she didn't dare to hesitate. Between coughs, she recounted all the information she knew.

"How long has he been missing?"

"Two days. We've already sent out people to search, but there's no sign of him. We checked the surveillance, but the cameras had been destroyed."

Li Yongchang stood at the entrance, expressionless, but his subordinates' hearts were pounding wildly, and they didn't even dare to breathe loudly. Including the woman, everyone stood straight, waiting for Li Yongchang to speak.

After a while, Li Yongchang asked again, "Who else did he come into contact with?"

"This..." The woman fell silent for a moment. Under Li Yongchang's sharp gaze, she braced herself and answered, "There's also Wang Jin. Before he disappeared, Wang Jin had asked the Young Group Leader out for drinks."

"Wang Jin, I see... what a coincidence." Li Yongchang narrowed his eyes, his thoughts unknown.

"Liyan, come to my office. The rest of you, dismiss."

Li Yongchang walked into the elevator without looking back. A flash of sorrow appeared in the eyes of the pretty woman whose throat had just been grabbed, and she responded:

"...Yes."

...The next morning, just after 9 o'clock, a large group of people appeared at the entrance of Huacheng No. 1 Middle School.

They were aggressive and completely ignored the security personnel's attempts to stop them as they entered the school, even alarming the principal.

When the principal arrived and saw them, he couldn't help but frown, having a rough idea of their purpose.

"Li Yongchang, what brings you here today?" the principal asked with a smile.

"Long time no see, Principal." Li Yongchang nodded slightly and said with a serious face, "I've come this time regarding my son's matter."

"Your son?"

Li Yongchang said, "Yes. My son is missing, which I'm sure you know. Normally, the City Defense Bureau should be handling this, and I shouldn't have come to the school privately, but I heard he had some grievances with a classmate before he disappeared, so I came to ask."

"Oh? You brought so many people just to ask?"

The principal looked at the group of people behind Li Yongchang; there were at least twenty or thirty of them. Each one was expressionless and fierce-looking. Someone with weaker mental fortitude might not even be able to speak clearly.

Li Yongchang smiled and said, "Not at all, just a few."

Immediately, several people stepped out from the group and stood behind him.

One was the woman in the professional skirt who had been questioned before, named Liyan. Another was a lame middle-aged man, and there was also a young man wearing a monocle.

The Old Principal looked at these people, nodded, and then said, "Let's go to the conference room."

After saying that, he led the way toward the conference room and simultaneously sent someone to call Xie Ning.

The whole school knew about the conflict between Xie Ning and Li Zhi. Ever since Li Zhi disappeared, everyone had been waiting for the situation to explode. There were many speculations during this time; some suspected Xie Ning had done something, while others suspected an accident.

But one thing was certain: it must have something to do with Xie Ning.

The news of Li Yongchang's arrival today also spread, instantly igniting people's curiosity.

They didn't have to wait long. Soon, a teacher came to Class 1, Grade 12 to call Xie Ning.

When Xie Ning heard that the principal was looking for him, there was only one voice in his heart: They're finally here.

"Xie Ning, be careful," Liu Yuan said with concern.

After all, the Madman Hunter Group had a notoriously bad reputation in Flower City, and no one knew what they planned to do this time.

Xie Ning nodded and followed the teacher toward the conference room.

When he walked into the conference room, the various gazes of the people inside all turned toward him.

Sitting closest to the door was a man with a monocle, who stared at Xie Ning with a scrutinizing look. Further up was a pretty woman, who looked curious.

However, Xie Ning only gave these two a glance, focusing most of his attention on the two people at the head of the table.

When he saw the lame man, he smiled slightly and thought to himself, 'As I thought.'

Looking to the other side, he saw a middle-aged fat man with a face even paler than a woman's and slicked-back hair, and he couldn't help but be a bit stunned.

This is Li Yongchang?

Li Yongchang also noticed Xie Ning's gaze, and the gloom on his face deepened. Just as he was about to lose his temper, the Old Principal stood up.

"Xie Ning, come, come sit here."

"Okay, Principal."

This wasn't the first time Xie Ning had met the principal, so he wasn't nervous. He walked over unceremoniously and sat down next to the principal, directly opposite Li Yongchang.

The Old Principal patted Xie Ning's shoulder and smiled, "Xie Ning, the one sitting opposite is Li Zhi's father, Li Yongchang. His son has gone missing recently, and he wants to ask you some questions. Don't be afraid, just tell the truth."

"I will."

Xie Ning nodded, then asked curiously, "Uncle, are you really Li Zhi's dad? You don't look like him at all."

Li Yongchang narrowed his eyes and glared at Xie Ning. The Aura of a Gold-rank Demon Tamer was about to explode, but it was suppressed by the Old Principal.

In terms of strength, Li Yongchang might win, but in terms of Aura, neither could overwhelm the other.

"Humph!" Li Yongchang snorted coldly and had to withdraw his Aura. He asked, "I heard you've had some conflicts with my son recently?"

"It wasn't much of a conflict," Xie Ning nodded.

The man with the monocle stood up, leaned toward Xie Ning, and said word by word, "If it wasn't a conflict, why was there a duel? And why would the Young Group Leader break into your home?"

As he spoke, he stared intently at Xie Ning's facial expression.

Xie Ning was stunned for a moment, looked at the young man, and then at Li Yongchang.

"So you all knew. Then you should have just told Group Leader Li." He then looked at Li Yongchang, "Group Leader Li, your son broke my front door, windows, and so on. I spent over two hundred thousand to repair everything. May I ask if you should compensate me now?"